Container



Jan. 2, 1940. 'r. F. BRENNAN CONTAINER I Filed 'Feb. 7, 1939 illi lN-VENTOR.

ATTORNEYfi Patented 2,

UNITED STATES 2,185,180 I comma Thomas F. Brennan, Valhalla, N. Y., asslgnor to American Can Company, New York, N. Y., a

corporation of New-Jersey Application February '2', 1939, Serial No. 255,155

I 6 Claims.

The present invention relates generally to containers or cans and has particular reference to a can adapted for holding condiments, granular substances or other dry materials including 5 ground or bean coffee, dried milk and the like,

the can having a reclosure cap which is adapted is 'provided with a replaceable reclosure cap which when applied is adapted for movement into an open ora closed position and which covers and uncovers a dispensing opening of the can.

Another objectisthe provision of such a reclosure cap which when applied to the can is rotatable into a closed or an open position relative to a dispensing opening made by breaking out a part of the can. I

A further object of the invention is the provision of a can having a part surrbunded by an upstanding wall on which a reclosure 'cap is adapted to be yieldingly mounted, such a can when so assembled being rotatable into open and closed positions.

Yet another object is the provision of a rotatable reclosure cap for a can which isremovably securedr-in a puncturable' sealing member, the latter being permanently clinched to the end of the can, this assembly providing a sealed. can before opening and a simple reclosure for the dispensing opening made in the sealing member after opening.

Numerous other objects and advantages of the inventionwill be apparent as it is better under-- stood from I the following description," which. taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, discloses a preferred. embodiment thereof. I

Referring to-the drawing: Figure 1 is a perspective view of'a container or I can embodying the present invention; I

Fig. 2 is a'perspective, exploded iew of a part of the can, the closure member'and reclosure J v a Fig. 3 is member; I a

Fig. 4 is an inverted plan view of the underside ofthereclosurecapg.

Fig.5 is a vertical section of thereclosure cap a plan. view of the closure and closure member taken on the line 5-5 in Fig. 1 and drawn to'a larger scale; I I

Fig. 6 is-a vertical section similar to Fig. 5. but showing a weakened area of the closure member after it has been forced inwardly to open 5 the can; and

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary vertical section of the reclosure cap and closure member taken along the line 1-1 in Fig. 1 and atva larger scale, showing engagement of a part of the reclosure cap 9 with an adjacent wall of the closure-member.

The drawing discloses a preferred embodiment of the invention in which a can body ii (Fig. 1) of conventional construction, is provided with an -end I: having an opening l3 (Fig. 2) which is surrounded with an upstanding neck or' flange I. To this neck is'attached a closure sealing member iii. The upstanding neck and closure member are united in an annular three-wall-or multi-layer crimped joint indicated generally at 20 I6. Closure memberi5 is centrally depressed and i s central horizontal wall I! is weakened by a c ed and straight score line i8 which defines or outlines a r'emovablearea of semi-circular or half-moon shape. An unscored portion is at 35 about the center of the wall l'l provides a hinge for the half-moon section of metal when it is forced inwardly-to open the can. Such an-opening is effected in a usual manner as by pushing downwardly. upon the half 'moon area with any 90 suitable instrument. 1

I A reclosure cap, indicated generally by the nu- ,meral 20, is also centrally depressed in general conformity with the closure sealing member 15 and is adapted to slidingly lit for rotation within '35 the depression formed in the closure member. The reclosure cap depression includes a horizontal wall 2| surrounded by an annularyupstanding wall 22, which merges at itsupper edge with a horizontal flangeil. This flange is extended 4 outwardly at diametrically opposite sections into wings 24, but along the arcs between these wings, the flange extends in the same plane in narrow annular segments -25 Along the entire contourf I of the flange 23 there depends a smoothvertical 5 skirt 2'.

I The lower extremity of the skirt is bent horizontally inwardly beneath the wings 24 as illustrated in Figs. 4 and 7, to prevent any. raw edges from inflictinginjury to the handwhen the cap 50 is applied, rotated or removed. The remaining segments or area 21 of the skirt "conforms genorally to the circular joint wall l6 and are spaced outwardly therefrom. Small tabs or projections .arebent inwardly .and upwardly against the inu side of the skirt and form engaging elements or lugs 28 which, as shown in Fig. 4, are disposed around the skirt at about ninety degree intervals.

,When the wall of the reclosure depression moves down into position within the depression or the closure member i5 as when these parts are assembled, the lugs 28 snap yieldingly over and frictionally engage against an upwardly and outwardly flared surface 29 of the joint wall l6 as shown in Fig. 7. Such engagement is sufficient to hold the reclosure cap 20 assembled with theclosure member and yet permits either its removal from the closure or its rotation around the closure axis.

A half-moon opening 30, formed in the wall 2! of the cap 20. is of substantially the same size, shape and location as the area outlined by the score line it, in the wall I? of the closure. When the reclosure cap is snapped over the wall i6 its horizontal wall 2! is in close contact with the closure wall ii and, by rotation of the cap 20, the opening 3i? may be made to register with the outline id, or the aperture formed in the closure wall when the weakened area is forced inwardly. With the two apertures so aligned and in registry, the contents of the container may be removed as with a spoon', and the excess of the contents in the bowl of the spoon may be conveniently levelled ofi ,by brushing against the straight edge of the half-moon aperture.

The reclosure cap 20 is made in ample lateral dimensions but its height is relatively small so that, when the cap is assembled with the countersunk container wall l2, the top surface of the flange 23 does not extend above the level of the top edge of the double seam 3| of the container. The axis of the'closure is also sufficiently removed from the double seam to permit of clearance between the extremities of the wings 24 and the inner wall of the double seam. It will be obvious that such a construction obviates the possibility of any projection of the reclosure cap 20 in any direction beyond the adjacent parts of the can and such improved reclosure cap cans may be packed as easily and in the same space as that required by cans having no reclosure caps.

While a circular closure is shown in the pre-. ferred embodiment of the invention, other forms or shapes of closures and apertures may be used.

In rectangular shaped reclosures having a square 1 or angular cap which cannot be rotated'about the closure axis, the reclosing function can be obtained-by removal and replacement whenever it is desirable to change from an open to a closed position or vice versa.

It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantages will be understood from the ioregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes-may be made in the. form, construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spiri't'and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the form hereinbefore described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

when said reclosure cap is applied to the container. l

2. A container having a removable area which when broken out produces a dispensing opening surrounded by an upstanding wall, and a reclosure cap having a downwardly extending skirt portion conforming in general outline to said upstanding wall but of larger dimensions, parts of said skirt portion being bent inwardly and upwardly at spaced intervals to provide yielding elements for snap engagement with said upstanding wall when said reclosure cap is applied to the container, said capalso having laterally extending wings which allow for movement of the cap relative to said upstanding wall. i

3. A container having a removable area which when broken out produces. a dispensing opening 4 j surrounded by an upstanding wall, and a reclosure cap having an opening corresponding in shape andpsize to said removable area, said cap being rotatably mounted on the exterior of said upstanding wall and-having a downwardly extending skirt portion conforming in general outline to said wall but of larger dimensions, parts of said skirt portion along its bottom edgebeing bent inwardly and upwardly at spaced'intervals to provide yielding elements for engagement with said wall and permitting easy, removal of the cap as well as rotation of the cap to align its .side of said end wall, an'opening being formed Jll in the depressed portion of said cap which is' brought into alignment with said dispensing opening upon rotation of the cap to effect dispensing of the container contents, and yielding elements secured to said outer skirt portion and engaging under said flanged annular wall to ro-.

tatably hold the cap on the container, 5. A container having an opening formed in -one end, the opening being surroundedby an upstanding wall, a sealing member permanently secured in said opening but having its edges engaged with said upstanding, wall and forming 55 an annular upstanding joint, said sealing memher having a depressed center portion apart of which includes a removable area-defined by score lines and adapted when broken out to provide a dispensing opening which extends over substantially half of said depressed area, a snap-on re-. closure cap having rotatable movement when applied to said sealing member, said cap having a depressed central portion fitting within the depression of said sealing member, said cap sliding on said annular joint whenro'tated with an outer from the joint, the depressed portion of said cap havingan opening which is brought into alignment with said dispensing opening for dispensing the container contents, yielding elements secured tosaid outer skirt portion and engaging on said cap for easy manipulation thereof. 7 6. A container comprising a body, an end secured to said body in an upstanding seam, said skirt portion extending outside of and spaced said annular joint, and wing elements formed end having a removable area which when broken out produces a dispensing opening, said area being surrounded by an upstanding wall, and a reclosure cap rotatably mounted on said upstanding wall, the upper part of said cap being within the upper edge of'said surrounding seam, said cap having a downwardly extending skirt portion conforming in general outline to the upstanding wall of said end but'of larger dimensions, said skirt portion being bent at spaced intervals'to provide yielding elements for snap engagement with said upstanding wall when said reclosure cap is applied to the container, said yielding elements also permitting removal of the cap from the container. I p

v THOMAS F. BRENNAN. 

